"Thou Shalt Be Over My House" - St. Joseph

Here, St. Joseph's patriarchal authority is pronounced by a very dominant posture.  Holding the infant Christ,  he steps forward from an ornate, stone throne signed with the Latin inscription, "Tu eris super domum mean" (You are placed over all my household) a scriptural foreshadowing from the bible and the story of Joseph in Egypt.

This noble fresco of the foster father of the Lord Jesus Christ was painted by 19th century artist Francesco Grandi who created many works in churches around Rome and Italy including pieces found in St. Paul Outside the Walls.  Michele Di Monte's Biographical Dictionary of Italians (Volume 58, 2002) describes Grandi as follows: "In these works of great breadth and discoveries of didactic inclinations, Grandi shows himself to be a sober and thoughtful composer, easy and clear in the narrative cadences, but also attentive to the notes of color and reality, looking for a balance between theatrical effects of naturalism and noble composure. more neohanaleque than neoclassical."